From Cindy Garcia-Bennett, PA Sport, Rome

It's all about highs and lows for Fabio Di Bella, it seems.

At the end of last season, Di Bella was given a chance by coach Carlo Recalcati to play for Italy at the FIBA World Championship and he grabbed it with both hands, even earning a place in the starting line-up.

In sports, though, any player is just one injury away from agony and that is Di Bella's world now.

But he is watching, not playing.

We won't see those knee-length tube socks making darting runs from one end of the court to the other for four months.

Di Bella has been suffering with a herniated disc and is having surgery next Monday.

"It was affecting by sciatic nerve from my back to the tip of my foot," Di Bella said to PA Sport.

"I've had it for two and a half months and it is very painful.

"We tried everything to avoid having surgery but the pain hasn't gone away.

"Although I will be off the court for almost four months, and I will not be able to do what I love which is to play basketball, I am actually relieved to have the surgery. They say after the operation I will no longer feel any pain."

Other Injury Worries At Virtus

Di Bella, who is one month shy of his 28th birthday, isn't the only Virtus player to be feeling pain these days.

Fellow Italian international Andrea Michelori also has a back injury and isn't due back until the end of November.

Also ailing with a back problem is Travis Best - possibly the most important addition to Virtus squad this summer.

Best got hurt in last week's drubbing of Amsterdam Astronauts, and coach Zare Markovski is hoping to he'll be able to play on Tuesday against Adecco ASVEL in the EuroCup.

In view of Di Bella's absence, Virtus are looking for a replacement and Jason Parker, who was released by Lega due side Carife Ferrara last month, has been linked with a move to the club.

"I think it's right that the club seeks a replacement for me and I hope that we get an important player that can give a hand to the team but also not affect the current synergy in the squad," Di Bella said.

First and foremost for Di Bella, however, is that Virtus are winning games this season and showing signs of being the force that ruled Europe twice in the past eight years.

Markovski's team had not lost until Sunday's 64-59 defeat to defending champions Benetton Treviso.

"I think the key to our great start to the season, which had seen us take six straight victories in the league, including wins against Roma and Fortitudo in the Bologna derby, as well as our emphatic triumph in Amsterdam in the FIBA EuroCup, has been down to the unity of the group," Di Bella said.

"This team has the right spirit, we have the will to battle for 40 minutes and the players know their role.

"This group unity has been created in the summer and all the players feel comfortable in their position.

"Our main strength has been our defense. Including Sunday's defeat against Treviso, in all our games we have not allowed any rival to score more than 70 points against us."

Di Bella believes Markovski is the perfect coach for the team.

"Zare Markovski is a very calm person," he said.

"He knows what he wants and expects nothing but the best from each of his players. 

"We have a big roster, but he has been able to bring to this team balance, to give each player a responsibility."

Just how long Virtus can keep it up remains to be seen. Italy's Lega A, if last season is anything to go by, is the most balanced in Europe with any team capable of winning on any opponent.

"I think we can maintain this rhythm," Di Bella said.

"In our eyes, we are doing nothing impossible or incredible for that matter, we just play as well we can.

"I hope the team can maintain the same intensity and strength we have proved to possess since the start of the campaign.

"Soon, we will have Michelori back in the team. Poor Michelori hasn't played since the start of the campaign and I know he will give the team a great helping hand."

And what about Europe?

Virtus destroyed Amsterdam 104-51 and most of the experts expect them to reach the EuroCup Final Four and possibly win the event.

"I think we have a lot of potential (in Europe), a great group and quality," Di Bella said.

"We don't believe we are second to anybody. Of course, we respect our European rivals and even though we've struggled with injuries, I'm sure we can go far in Europe."

Virtus should get more of a test this week in the EuroCup.

"It's  great to bring back to Bologna some European flavour," Di Bella said.

"I know it's going to be a great game regardless of what happens. ASVEL are considered the group favourites so our aim is to take another step forward and beat them.

"We will have our crowd behind us and that will help us overcome adversity."